This invention relates to an auxiliary device for supporting a portable hand held metal detector in its working position to lessen the load that otherwise has to be carried by the operator.
Portable hand held metal detectors of the type having a planar searchcoil head, elongated stem with an electronic power supply and operating controls at the handle end have become popular in recent years and in widespread use to search for coins and other metal objects on or buried in the ground. Heretofore, such metal detectors have been held by the user in one hand without any supporting device to carry part of the weight. The elongated stem has to be held at an oblique angle, extending forwardly from the user, to position the planar searchcoil head a relatively short distance above the ground and preferably parallel or substantially parallel to the ground. When held in such position, the electrically energized coils in the searchcoil head pick up a signal when a metal object is located beneath the searchcoil head but if not held at the proper distance above the ground and substantially parallel to the ground a number of metal objects will be missed. Although such metal detectors are typically lightweight, carrying one at the proper angle and at the proper height above the ground can become very tiring when the user has to carry the metal detector himself without any auxiliary support.
Also, there is nothing to mark on the ground the area that has been covered when the user carries the detector himself without any auxiliary supporting device.
The caddy for a metal detector in accordance with the present invention solves those problems inherent in the prior art method described. It provides a support having wheels to both carry the weight of the metal detector and position it the proper distance above the ground as well as enable the user to maintain the planar searchcoil head in a substantially parallel relationship to the ground. In addition, the caddy in accordance with the present invention provides marking means to indicate the area of the ground which has been covered by the metal detector. The caddy is entirely non-metallic so as not to interfere with the metal detecting operation of the coils.